The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of April 19, 2024
Leaf from a Qur'an
1100s
Sheet: 32 x 21.3 cm (12 5/8 x 8 3/8 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1939.507
Location: not on view
Did You Know?
Calligraphers and poets enjoyed higher status than painters and architects in Islamic countries.Description
Arabic calligraphy, the art of beautiful writing, was elevated above all other art forms in the Islamic world because Allah, or God, revealed the divine word of Islam to the Prophet Muhammad (570–632) in the Arabic language. This Qur'an page is considered one of the most splendid examples of Arabic calligraphy. Based on the proportions of Arabic letters, majestic eastern Kufic script features attenuated letters with long upstrokes and low strokes swaying to the left. Contours echoing the letters separate the sacred text from the lively arabesque background. This vertical layout on paper replaces the earlier horizontal format on parchment.- ?-1939(Heeramaneck Galleries, New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)1939-The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- Gertsman, Elina and Barbara H. Rosenwein. The Middle Ages in 50 Objects. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018. Mentioned: pp. 26–29; Reproduced: p. 27
- Main Gallery Rotation (Gallery 116). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (December 15, 2014-December 14, 2015). (1939.507.a only)Art: The International Language. The Cleveland Museum of Art (October 2-November 4, 1956).
- {{cite web|title=Leaf from a Qur'an|url=false|author=|year=1100s|access-date=19 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1939.507